Illegal offshore betting apps offer bets on 2024 Lok Sabha elections

Despite the ban imposed by the Central Government in November 2023 on online betting apps like Mahadev App and Reddy Anna, they continue to operate today. With the announcement of parliamentary elections, betting activities on these apps have surged.

Speculations in the online betting market suggest that BJP won’t cross the mark of 400 seats. The market estimates merely 43 seats for the Congress in the Lok Sabha elections, with no accounts opening for Congress in states like Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, and Delhi. 

BJP is predicted to secure a one-sided victory, with 331 out of 543 seats, while Congress, claiming to form a government, will be confined to 43 seats.

The promoters of Mahadev Online Betting App are operating from Bhilai, Dubai etc. are under scrutiny. Besides Chhattisgarh, police in other states are taking continuous actions. Alongside the police, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and EOW have also stepped up their investigations, resulting in arrests and detainment.

The betting market suggests that Congress may not secure a single seat in Chhattisgarh. BJP is expected to win all 11 seats. Conversely, BJP is predicted to triumph in all 11 seats. BJP is expected to secure 26 seats in Gujarat, 23-25 seats in Rajasthan, 29 seats in Madhya Pradesh, five seats in Uttarakhand, seven seats in Delhi, and four seats in Himachal Pradesh. The market indicates BJP at 60-80 paise in Chhattisgarh, Rs 1 in Rajasthan, 40-50 paise in Gujarat, and 50-60 paise in Delhi.

With a growing interest in election trends and results, brokers and middlemen have become active, forming a complete network using internet media platforms. Those involved in the betting market claim to rely on ground reports for accurate election forecasts. They analyze trends based on media reports to gauge market fluctuations. According to cyber experts, shutting down online betting apps is challenging because they are not available on the Play Store. Players are directly provided with IDs to play, making it easy for them to deposit money and play matches. Moreover, shutting down becomes difficult until the main culprits are arrested.